Using a VA In Your Resume Writing Business

Last month, Christine Edick of A Virtual Connection, delivered an excellent teleseminar on BeAResumeWriter.com on "Be More Organized, Efficient, Productive & Profitable (Using a Virtual Assistant)."

In talking with resume writers, I find more and more of them are using virtual assistants (VAs) or outsourcing key tasks.

Christine offered some great tips for getting started with virtual assistants, which include:

• Start with a small project or trial period. Identify one thing to turn over or outsource initially. (See below for the top five things to have a VA do for you.)
• Make sure you're a good match. Many VAs specialize in certain areas, so make sure what you need aligns with what the VA offers (or specializes in). 
• Have a contract — or some agreement — outlining the scope of work and rates.
• Give as much guidance as you can about the project and the work you do — if your VA understands your clients, services, and perspective, he/she will be more effective.
• Check-in regularly, especially in the early stages of a project. This will ensure your VA is on the "right track" with your expectations.
• Be flexible. If you give them one project, and it's not working out, don't be afraid to put an end to that project, and try delegating something else. Make sure you are working to your VA's strengths. What are they good at?

There are five main areas that a virtual assistant can do for you as a resume writer:

1. Website work. That can include updating information, adding plug-ins to a WordPress site, or keeping your calendar updated.
2. Social media. Virtual assistants can both write and schedule content for your social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)
3. Database management. A VA can set up your customer relationship management (CRM) system, add in your autoresponder messages, and more.
4. Communications/outreach. Whether that's sending email newsletters oor managing speaking engagements, a VA can work as your virtual representative.
5. Appointment scheduling. This is one that many resume writers would love to do — but are probably wary — allowing your VA to schedule appointments for you and send out pre-meeting information (such as questionnaires) and follow up with prospects to set appointments.

Christine also outlined four key success factors for working with a VA:

• A strong desire to do it (a clear and compelling reason)
• Identify core actions your VA can do to produce results for your career services business
• Count the costs (is the time, energy, and risk worth it)
• Finally, ACT! Act on your commitments, not your feelings.

Take the time to listen to Christine's 60-minute call. Free Level members of BeAResumeWriter.com can find it on the Free Level Resources page (you must be logged in to the site to access it) for the next few weeks. Bronze Members have access to the MP3 and transcript in the Expert Interviews Series section (must be logged in as a Bronze member).

You can also purchase the MP3 recording and fully edited transcript (plus Christine's slides and two bonuses — a Resources and Tools guide, and a 23-page guide, "How to Systematize and Automate") for just $5. Find out more information here.

Find a VA here:

International Virtual Assistants Association

Outsource specific tasks:

• Elance

• Guru

• Odesk

• Fiverr.com

Become a Get Hired Now Facilitator

In the September/October 07 issue of Resume Writers' Digest, I wrote an article about the "Get Hired Now!" program and how resume writers and career coaches can become licensed facilitators as an additional revenue stream and service for their clients.

The Get Hired Now! licensee program is designed to provide group coaching and training for job seekers. The program consists of a three-hour seminar designed to be delivered to groups of 2-20 people and follow-up group coaching sessions conducted in person or by phone (teleseminar).

There are two licensing options -- the basic kit for $495 and the Masterful Facilitator Training option for $695, which includes four hours of additional training covering tips for conducting successful groups as well as marketing and selling the Get Hired Now! program.

If you're interested in learning more about becoming a Get Hired Now! facilitator, sign up for the free Q&A session about becoming a facilitator on July 30 at 2 p.m. EST.

The next Get Hired Now! Masterful Facilitator Training Program will be offered Aug. 6-27, 208 (four Wednesdays) from 4-5 p.m. EDT.

Teleseminar with "Best Branding Expert on the Planet"

Branding is a huge topic -- not just for resume writers who are looking for more business, but for our clients, who are trying to differentiate themselves from their competition and land the interview.

Kathy Sweeney, of Resume Writers Resource, has lined up a world-renowned branding expert, Rob Frankel, to present a teleseminar at 3 p.m. EST today, "The 10 Worst Mistakes That Are Killing Your Brand."

• Identify the 10 most common mistakes you're committing right now, which result in killing your brand on a daily basis.
• Discover 10 solutions to correct the situation, which will allow you to fix the problem immediately.
• Answer your questions on specific branding problems with your own company.

Frankel is author of the book, "The Revenge of Brand X: How to Build a Big Time Brand -- On the Web or Anywhere Else," and CEO of Frankel & Anderson. He has been featured on NBC Nightly News, ABC-TV, CNBC, FOX News, and National Public Radio. He has also been featured in numerous print publications, including Newsweek, Business Week, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and New York Times.

The 90-minute teleseminar is just $25. To sign up for this teleseminar and/or check out the Resume Writers Resource course offerings, click here. Even if you're not able to attend the live session, you can still pre-register and receive the audio recording and materials after the session concludes.